set the tone
idiom
: to establish a quality, feeling, or attitude by a manner of speaking or writing
Her lighthearted question set the tone for the rest of the interview.
Examples of set the tone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the sixth inning, Anderson took the ball and set the tone.
—
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
Charter set the tone last year with its 12-day blackout of Disney channels including ESPN and ABC.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024
The team’s resounding victories in the opening two rounds set the tone before impressive wins over No. 5 Gonzaga and No. 2 Tennessee booked the team’s spot in the semifinals, the program’s first since 1980.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
The songs set the tone immediately for Bey’s foray into country music with Cowboy Carter, although the 32-time Grammy winner cautioned fans ahead of its release not to put the album in a box.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
This set the tone for a productive session with one positive idea sparking another.
—Ellie Victor, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Ragans will look to set the tone against the Twins on Thursday as the second-youngest left-handed opening day starter in franchise history.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2024
Roaming peacocks and languidly swaying palm trees set the tone for an enchanting stay.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024
Taylor's goal in the 39th minute set the tone, Diego Gómez added an insurance score in the 83rd minute and Inter Miami — to start Messi's first full season with the club — opened the 29th season of MLS with a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night.
—Tim Reynolds, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
Charter set the tone last year with its 12-day blackout of Disney channels including ESPN and ABC.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 6 Apr. 2024
The team’s resounding victories in the opening two rounds set the tone before impressive wins over No. 5 Gonzaga and No. 2 Tennessee booked the team’s spot in the semifinals, the program’s first since 1980.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
The songs set the tone immediately for Bey’s foray into country music with Cowboy Carter, although the 32-time Grammy winner cautioned fans ahead of its release not to put the album in a box.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
This set the tone for a productive session with one positive idea sparking another.
—Ellie Victor, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Ragans will look to set the tone against the Twins on Thursday as the second-youngest left-handed opening day starter in franchise history.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2024
Roaming peacocks and languidly swaying palm trees set the tone for an enchanting stay.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024
Taylor's goal in the 39th minute set the tone, Diego Gómez added an insurance score in the 83rd minute and Inter Miami — to start Messi's first full season with the club — opened the 29th season of MLS with a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night.
—Tim Reynolds, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'set the tone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near set the tone
Cite this Entry
“Set the tone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20the%20tone. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share